


The Child of the King of All Humans

by Azuna83



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Agender Chara, Agender Frisk, Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Anxiety Disorder, Assassination, But not really you'll see, Chara Has Their Own Body, Demonic Possession, Evil Chara, F/F, F/M, Government Conspiracy, Houseplant Flowey, Human/Monster War, Mentally Unstable Chara, Minor Character(s), Multi, Other, Selectively Mute Frisk, Teenage Asriel Dreemurr, Teenage Chara, Teenager Frisk, The Souls are Siblings With Frisk
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-14
Updated: 2017-11-05
Packaged: 2018-05-27 13:55:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6287272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azuna83/pseuds/Azuna83
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Their hand in marriage. That's all it takes for the monsters and humans to put an end to this wretched war.<br/>His hand in marriage. That's all it takes for the monsters and humans to live in harmony.<br/>It's never that easy, is it? Never that easy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Betrothal

Trumpets blared. The king of humans clutched Frisk's arm tightly as the oaken doors opened, revealing the two to the large crowd of humans and monsters waiting, watching the two as they entered the circular room. As Frisk looked to their father, they tried to hide the nervousness that creased their round face. The king gave Frisk a nearly imperceptible nod and clutched their arm tighter. He was nervous too.

Frisk forced their narrow eyes to look forwards at the prince, the prince they were to marry. The their caramel face paled. He was a monster, Frisk knew. But they'd never seen him this close before. He stood in the center of the room, and his gaze never wavered from Frisk's. He looked much like a farm animal of some sort, like a goat or sheep. But he had a human quality to him too, in his eyes. He had intelligent looking eyes.

They didn't even realize that they were being led closer to the center of the room, closer to the teenager that looked similar to them. Could he detect the ill appearance in their skin tone, or their shaking hands? Could he hear the thoughts that ran rampant in their head?

_I can't do it. I won't be able to stop a war. I'm just a kid._

But they didn't have a choice. To prevent this damned war against the monsters, Frisk had to marry one. Together, they could surely find a way to end this.

It sounded upsetting that Frisk wasn't marrying for love, but they were. They were marrying for the love of all monsters that they knew and the ones they had yet to meet.

See, Frisk was to add "a neutral insight" to the affairs of monsters and humans. From what they could tell, the humans hated this offer specifically because Frisk was part of the deal. It's not that people hated Frisk. It was the opposite, really. It's just that Frisk was determined to do the right thing for monsters, and that's not what the humans wanted. Especially their parents.

Their mother and father wanted to control the monsters and force them underground, Frisk knew. But they didn't want that, and they weren't putting up with this stifling corset and weeks of training to cause the suffering of an entire race. They were going to do what's right. Even if the thought of taking another step forwards make their stomach queasy.

Slowly, slowly, Frisk's father let go of their arm. It was his job to lead the heir to the center, and then take a seat and listen to the hired monster clergyman intone about how this was a joyous occasion for both families, and how those wed would be blessed and smiled upon. Frisk really, really hoped so.

Frisk realized that they were literally less than a foot from the prince now. He was shorter than them. As if to test the water, they smiled nervously and hoped it didn't look like a grimace, dropping their arms to their side. They received a sad smile in return.

As the clergyman kept droning on, Frisk glanced around. The air was far colder in the palace of the monsters than in their own keep, and everyone looked so odd. Near the oaken doors stood a very, very tall fish woman and what appeared to be a puppy in a suit of armor. The woman brandished a spear and stared straight ahead, but every so often she'd brush a tear out of her eye and smile. The wedding must have meant a lot to her. It meant a lot more for monsters than it did people.

 When she realized that Frisk kept looking at her, her smile became a sneer, showing sharp teeth. She shut her helmet to hide her face. The puppy barked, eliciting a giggle from Frisk's siblings. The royal family and all of their friends sat, watching the two royal teenagers. Whenever Frisk turned to look at what could only be Asriel's friend, a small human child in fancy clothing, the odd kid would stretch their naturally big smile larger at them. Their... Red??-- Red eyes would open wide, irises small compared to the whites. They looked scary. 

"...And I'm more than happy to be the monster to wed these two. The fate of monsters and humans rest on their shoulders, as does the fate of the royal family." Eesh. Asriel took a step towards Frisk, and they closed their eyes and held out their hand.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Frisk and their sibling's names  
> Frisk / "Red" - 17  
> Alex / "Cyan" - 14  
> Doe / "Orange" - 12  
> Skye / "Blue" - 10  
> Constance / "Purple" - 10  
> Jackie / "Green" - 6  
> Gale / "Yellow" - 4
> 
> Their last name is Soule and Asriel loves it


	2. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Celebrations are cut short, just like this chapter.

People were constantly coming up to the two to give their congratulations. All of Frisk's siblings did, some while sniffling the slightest bit. Frisk wouldn't be able to live with them anymore, after all. 

Frisk was pretty much the best big sibling ever. They'd always take their own time to solve conflicts between the kids, and would play with some of the younger ones and entertain their "flights of fancy." It was really heartbreaking to watch Skye, nicknamed "Blue," who was usually rather composed, break down crying. Frisk promised to visit as much as they could.

As soon as those kids left, that odd-looking child that Frisk guessed to be Asriel's friend appeared seemingly out of nowhere. "It's... nice to meet you." Their tone was rather flat as they looked at Frisk. Yeesh, were those eyes something. "Since we're going to be living together, I suppose I could make the best of this... situation. My name's Chara. Asriel's sibling."

Oooh. Frisk was told that Asriel would have a sibling, but what the heir didn't know was that this sibling would be so...

Human. 

Well, at least they looked human. Frisk was honestly expecting another monster. Still, they brightened and lowered their head in a quick bow. "I'm.. honored to meet you," They spoke really quietly, but they meant it. Even if this child looked a bit, well, unsettling, they must have been raised the same way as Asriel. They must have been as nice as Asriel.

Truly, the prince was delightful company. He was rather expressive with how he talked, though he didn't use his hands to gesticulate, like Frisk would. He seemed to understand that Frisk could be the "shy" sort, and weren't really the best as expressing their thoughts by using words. So he would do most of the talking.

"Our kingdom has fallen into a state of disrepair. Oh, sorry to kill the mood." He smiled gently and his ears would lay back to show his embarrassment. The palace of the monsters wasn't quite as extravagant, Asriel explained. Some of the paint was chipping, some of the furniture wasn't polished, some of the piping wasn't as maintained. Frisk learned that this was because the king, Asgore, put most of his funding into his kingdom, especially the poorer areas, and even that wasn't enough to stop the poverty and famine that raced through the kingdom, and even threatened to reach the palace in the winter. There simply wasn't enough to go around.

He must have noticed Frisk's downcast face, because he quickly added, "But that won't stop us! The people are okay. They're happy, usually. And if they aren't we fix it. We do what we can, and no one expects anything greater than what we  _can_ do. You being here with us helps! Now there's a link between monsters and humans." His eyes were pretty expressive, and Frisk could tell that he meant it.

Frisk nodded, determination seeming to flicker through their body. They would help, that's what they wanted to do. They would do everything in their power to prevent monsters being forced into a new area, away from people. 

As they-- well, as Asriel talked, Frisk would sometimes turn and see all of the people having fun. It wasn't really a nice sight to them. Monsters were hanging out with monsters, and humans with humans. Some of the monsters were sneaking peeks at Frisk, and they pretended not to notice those accusatory glances. After a while, Asriel stopped speaking. It seemed that they were both just observing how much they would have to work to fix this severed link. 

Chara, wasn't that their name??-- They were the only one not partaking in the "festivities." They were glaring daggers straight at Frisk, their eyes seeming to pierce their skin. Talk about creepy! Maybe they were just, you know, interested in Frisk, or something. Not in the romantic way, but, you know. As an individual?

Slowly, Frisk stood up. If they were going to fix this link, they would have to start with small steps. There was a small monster kid in the back of the room. Frisk could see that they were a page, but for whom, they didn't know. Maybe the fish guard in the corner? She didn't seem like a knight, more like a general or a royal guardsman, but maybe royalty in monster kingdoms worked differently? 

Frisk walked over to the rather small page. The hat they wore to denote their status was pretty much toppling off their head, and they didn't have any arms with which to adjust it. Upon seeing the heir, the page began jumping up and down in excitement, only to be met with their hat completely falling off. 

Making a short detour, Frisk tapped the shoulder of their third youngest sibling, Constance. Constance was also known as "Purple." The ten-year-old jumped, only to bow quickly. Frisk led their super intelligent sibling to the page, who somehow managed to pick up the hat with their clawed foot. Now, they were trying to put it on their head, bending their spine awkwardly. Everyone pretended not to see. The guard woman was beginning to make her way over to him, but the two humans got there first. 

"No no no," Constance instantly tutted, sliding their glasses further up the bridge of their nose. "That is very inefficient." They pried the hat from the monster, dusted it off and un-frumpled it, and placed it on top of the kid's head, tugging it down so that it came just below the page's eyes. 

"Whoa! Thanks!!" The monster hopped around some more, eyes sparkling in unbridled excitement. "Who're you? Oh! Oh! Sorry, Your Highness!" The little kid bowed to Frisk, but quickly stood upright again, turning towards the younger heir.

"I'm Constance. Frisk is my sibling. Don't I get a bow?" They were being facetious, as was their nature, but they actually received a bow. "Wanna dance??" Constance didn't dance, but they figured they might as well. Frisk decided to leave them to it.

As they turned around, they found that the guard made her way back to the door, her hood raised. Her blue face wore a skeptical expression, and Frisk gave her a thumbs-up. They could handle this. 

Frisk seemed to be setting an example for the entire place. Monsters and humans were expected to get along. They could come out of their respective corners now. However, even as this subtle, non-verbal "okay" was given, everyone still seemed wary. Untrusting. Why? Frisk didn't have time to play matchmaker with everyone, or make sure everyone was getting along. All they could do was hope that in time, this would get better. Maybe humans would start to move into areas populated by monsters. Maybe the border could stop being closed to monsters in the Kingdom of the Humans. Maybe Frisk could fix this segregation before it turned into violence. 

Maybe... Maybe Frisk was too late.

A rather tall monster came running into the room, and Frisk wasn't lying when they said he was all bone. His armor wasn't protective as much as it was flashy. "Undyne!? Where is Undyne??" He seemed to state everything as a declaration, or maybe that was hysteria. The fish guard immediately turned towards him, lowering her helmet. Concern was visible on her face, and a bright mess of red hair swished as she took a step forwards. 

Asriel got up from his seat, holding out a hand. Immediately, the two monsters looked at him, though Undyne looked a bit more ticked. Maybe that was just her standard facial expression? Mildly-irritated? "What's this all about, Papyrus?" Again, the Prince's voice was soft, but it had a bit more control in it than normal. 

"There's... An attack!! Right outside of Home, I ran all the way here!!!" He was obviously out of breath too, which was pretty ironic since he was a skeleton, and Frisk was pretty sure monsters didn't need to breathe in the first place. 

Home was the center of the monster kingdom, where the castle resided. The area around the castle was nicely built, mostly made out of wood and stone. The houses, much like the castle, were small, but gave this wonderful feeling of being a home for someone. Is that where the name came from?

 "Who is attacking?" Asriel's eyes were wide. The celebrations fell silent. The King, who'd been pretty silent up until now, stood up and faced Undyne. He gave an order and the woman darted from the scene, surprisingly quick for someone in armor. She had gone to assemble a few of the troops to see what the issue was.

"Humans!! They have amassed an army and are headed right towards the castle!!" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the whole way writing this chapter i felt like a furry  
> youre welcome for this
> 
>  
> 
> I'm going to summer camp!! But i'll try to update before that.


	3. It's Technically Not An Army And Just A Bunch Of Drunk People, The Chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk really wants to help, but it's really hard, on the end that they didn't expect.

Frisk felt all of those cold monster eyes on them. They were the thing that brought this upon the kingdom. They were human. No matter how nice they were, they were still human. And humans were vindictive and spiteful towards monsters.

The King continued to try and get the situation sorted out. Troops were filed into the halls. Stopping him, the Queen walked out to meet them and give her orders. She was truly a strong leader, one of the reasons this kingdom hadn't yet fallen into disrepair. Asriel was left to fill the guests in on the situation and apologize, as the festivities had to be cut short. 

The guests slowly filed out, mingling with the monster guards in the hall before separating. Frisk saw their parents and their multitude of siblings, waving one final goodbye. Constance seemed to be having trouble parting from Monster Kid. 

"Are you sure you will be alright? Can you defend yourself if the attackers reach the castle?" Constance sounded unsure, concerned. That was a first. They weren't really concerned for their own safety, however. They had personal guards.

"Of course! I've got Undyne! Speaking of which, I'm gonna go check on her. Bye, Constant!" With that, the lizard-like kid disappeared into the crowd. Man, this hallway was pretty hectic. Monsters and humans were running every which way, and two short scientist monsters seemed to be giving statistics on the damage using some technology Frisk had never seen before. 

They saw Monster Kid standing beside Undyne, who seemed to ignore them as they listened to the report coming from one of the scientists. She seemed to be nodding, agreeing with whatever the other monster was saying. Frisk moved closer to hear better, leaving only Asriel and a few monsters Frisk hadn't seen before to escort the guests out. 

"...A-And so, we have, maybe, uhm, a few hours before they reach the c-castle! Reports near by are s-saying, uhm, they're saying," Even as the short scientist stumbled over her words, wasting precious time, Undyne continued to nod, a strange expression over her face. Maybe it was extra-anger. Anger-with-added-concern. Frisk had a fun time trying to determine what this woman was feeling. 

"T-There are at least fifty of them," The scientist concluded. Honestly, if she weren't so weak and... unintimidating, she could double as a general. "We'll need a-a lot troops. They are using spears, maintenance items, s-such as saws and hammers, broken bottles, and s-some weapons identified as 'guns.'" Undyne procured a spear, nodding again. 

"Got it, Al. You're the best!! We'll beat these stupid humans to the ground! NGAAAAH!!" With a cry, she ordered her troops out the door, nearly trampling over the straggling partygoers still trying to leave.

Frisk followed them, duh. What else would they do? A good ruler had to diffuse situations like this. 

 

It wasn't that long of a walk, at least. Well, a jog, because these monsters seemed in a hurry. The troops were a bit too disorganized for Frisk's liking, and they seemed to be composed mostly of dogs. The skeletal monster was nowhere in sight. 

Frisk heard the humans before they saw 'em. They were loud, nearly carousing, causing a big scene. Once they got into view, Frisk saw around fifty, sixty people, carrying burlap sacks behind them. Looters. Frisk wouldn't be surprised if they actually were drunk. Was this a common occurrence? It rarely happened in the capitol of the Human Kingdom. All looters were promptly "dealt with."

The monsters began firing white magic once they got within distance. Undyne yelled over them, standing in the front line, one hand on her hip and the other brandishing a blue spear. 

"You have five seconds to drop your weapons and the bags! Otherwise, you get my spear to the face, got it!?" The woman was truly intimidating, so much that some of the more cowardly people did as she asked, dropping their spears, swords, and items, turning back with their hands in the air. However, the majority of them did not. One brave individual even hoisted a gun.

That individual was the first to get the spear to his face. He crumpled in a heap, and weapon still clutched in his hands. Around forty humans left. Undyne spit into the grassy ground. Did she really have to fight right now? Everything was going _okay_. But no, of course it couldn't be this easy. She just  _couldn't_ spend the rest of the day chatting with her best bud, Al, right? Because  _humans_ existed. 

A burning rage seemed to grow in her, and she fired another spear. Most of the attacks the troops made hit, but they didn't do as much damage as Undyne's. They were an annoyance, at best. As the humans drew nearer, Frisk realized this would not end pretty. Undyne had put five people out of commission, though. The heir didn't know which one was worse; magic that barely damaged the human body, or magic that could kill a person. 

Broken glass was thrown from the human side, as well as spears and gunfire. Monsters fell like leaves from a tree. It was brutal on both sides. 

Frisk wanted to intervene. They began weaving their way through the crowd. "'Scuse me," They'd mumble as they bumped into soldiers. They used to rule over these people, right? They could certainly stop this before it got any worse. Undyne turned around to assess how many of her people were still standing. Her eyes bugged out, and her expression turned to something Frisk could only define as Ultra-Enraged. However, she quickly cooled it. This was the heir, after all. "Your Highness, ain't-- Aren't-- Isn't this just a little dangerous? Go back to the castle! You're a target!" Frisk shook their head and made their way to the front line, walking on further.

Confused, both sides stopped their line of fire for a second. The humans' confusion turned very quickly to anger, and one raised a hammer and pointed it at Frisk. "Traitor!" Instantly, this call turned into more jeers and taunts.

"I should run you through!"

"Monster-lover!"

"Backstabber!"

"Don't take another step, or I'll gore you!" 

"Someone get Ben's gun!" 

Frisk was fazed. Their throat seemed to have closed up again, and they couldn't find the words. Why did they think this to be a good idea? Just because they used to help rule over these people didn't mean they'd be liked. They should have known they would be considered a traitor.

One of the taunters, a woman with a hand saw, took a step closer, trying to attack the heir, who managed to sidestep, the fringe of their outfit getting torn. In a bit of a panic, they fell back, nearly toppling over. The woman tried to get at them again, only to be met by Undyne's grasp on her arm. With a quick snap, the woman's wrist was broken. She crumpled into a heap. With a face full of fury, Undyne kicked the saw away and turned towards the rest of the humans. "Next!?" 

The remaining humans backed off. The idea of being captured didn't seem to sit well with them, and a lot of them really didn't want to follow Ben's example of "a spear to the face." Perhaps the idea sobered them up. For a fleeting moment, Frisk wondered if he was dead, if all those people Undyne struck were dead. The rest of the troops either sensed the fear of the humans, or were just following Undyne's example, as they yelled and began chasing the humans right back to their territory.

The woman seemed to be regaining her senses, but Undyne grabbed her arm, while a few of the troops went to assess the damage in the town and give back any looted items they could recover. One troop looked to see if the fallen humans were dead. 

"What were you thinking? What even was that?" Frisk shrugged and looked down. "Dunno. Thought I could stop them."  

Oddly enough, Undyne laughed. "Fuhuhu!! You're lucky, punk. If your parents weren't human, I'd totally ask them to ground you for that." So that weird expression that Frisk classified as "Ultra-Enraged" was more of "Extreme-Concern." Maybe it was the sharp teeth. She exhaled. "Humans are really dangerous. I'm sure you already know that. You're really lucky this wasn't a real battlefield, justa couple stupid humans who thought they could steal from good people. You'd be fulla holes, Your Highness." That first comment kinda stung.

The guard who inspected the humans pried the gun from Ben's very dead hands. It was kind of a shame, he didn't deserve to die. Frisk made a note to remind someone to send condolences to his family. Maybe money and promises of a job, if the family was struggling. From his clothes, he was from one of the poorer provinces. It was a pity that Ben was such a common name in those areas. It would take a while to find who he lived with. 

But, hey! Some of the fallen humans were just incapacitated. They could just be stripped of all honor, forced to pay a fine, and disarmed, and then they'd be okay. The woman was a different story. She'd attempted regicide, technically. 

Undyne was giving her some kind of intimidation-speech. There was really no need, the woman was already scared half to death by being in the clutches of a taller-than-six-feet fish woman in heavy steel armor with a broken wrist and no weapon. She told the human that the punishment would be decided by trial. "Because we're actually fair, human," She growled, "It _will_ be a fair trial."

Trial, huh? Its not like Frisk was hurt, other than their ego. They really thought they could help, but they just seemed to get in the way. It hurt how these people seemed to suddenly hate them. Just because they were betrothed-- no, married, to a monster. They were married.

Their heart fluttered a bit. 


	4. One In A Thousand Freaks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chara decides to take matters into their own hands regarding their little... problem.
> 
> Well, the problem is moderately short.
> 
> Still shorter than Chara, anyways.

By the time Frisk had returned to the castle, along with Undyne, it almost felt like the latter _didn't_ want to tear the heir's face off for being human! That's progress, right there. Even though Undyne's presence was a lot to handle at one time, Frisk did hope to become friends with her.

The castle felt desolate, and almost spooky as the Sun retreated behind the horizon to places unknown. The Royal Guardswoman got a tiny bit sidetracked by a certain Royal Scientist, leaving the heir alone in this unfamiliar place.

Well, not alone entirely. That little Monster Kid did turn out to be Undyne's page.

"Undyne said that I should show you around a little bit more! Undyne's the coolest, so I do what she says!" How sweet, her page really admired her. They really did remind Frisk of their own siblings. Well, some of their siblings. Constance could be a bit of a stick-in-the-mud, and Gale was a little too young to have a distinct personality yet.

The castle wasn't as big as the one in the Human Kingdom. It wasn't even as big as a duchy's castle. It was just so... incredibly small, especially compared to how many people inhabited it. There were enough rooms to give everyone a little space within the castle, just barely.

The barracks weren't much better. Beds and cots stacked on top of even more beds and cots, as well as a little table and, oddly enough, an uninhabited bar. The army must not have been as impressively huge as the humans made it out to be, because the barracks weren't that big and no one was in right now.

The little Monster Kid explained that sometimes, this cool flaming guy would come in and make drinks for the soldiers that resided at the castle. His name was Grillby, and he was the head chef in the castle. Everyone loved him, because there was nothing to not love. Frisk kept that in mind.

The short, yellow Royal Scientist's name was Alphys, and she invented some of the _amazingly_ advanced technologies monsters used in their kingdom. Frisk had never seen most of this stuff before: Huge monitors that showed different part of the kingdom as if by magic (Hah!) and a little box on wheels that rolled around and attempted to cheer people up. After coming face to face with the wheeled wonder, Frisk could see why the page put so much emphasis on _attempt._

The little box was completely mechanized, with a human voice and an amazing array of emotions and expressions. Constance would have loved to take a look at this. Apparently, the little box contained the soul of a ghost (Ghosts had souls? Okay,) who wanted a human or human-esque body to entertain in theatre and shows. He introduced himself as Mettaton, and began preforming lines from a play Frisk had never heard of.

"Can you call me 'fair?' That 'fair' again unsay..." He went on, flinging his hands up with such expression as he gushed on and on about a love he would never attain with unending conviction and energy. Frisk got a little exhausted just watching him monologue, but they did clap at the end of his spiel. The bright buttons down his front glowed with pride as he sped away. He really could be in theatre, but perhaps simply monster theatre. They didn't think humans would take very well to a box acting better than they did. How did one contain such an energetic soul in a metal container?

The tour continued. The place was old, but very well-kept. Apparently, the castle was self-sustainable as well, as there was a beautiful and expansive garden out back, with what appeared to be a chicken coop. The King took care of most of it, as well. Frisk had never known a King to preform the tasks of serfs, but he seemed to actually _enjoy_ the extra labor. Frisk enjoyed gardening as well, but it was more of a side hobby than something that took up a lot of their time.

Frisk was shown the room that they would share with the prince, and the adjacent room where the other adolescent resided. They were more formally introduced to the other human, Chara. Chara Dreemurr, adopted in hopes of strengthening ties with the humans by example. All it led to was confusion, and outrage among the Human Kingdom. Some claim that Chara was stolen, or a monster that had somehow changed form to appear human. It was the red eyes that scared humans, and the chilling glare they turned on everyone in a given room.

Chara hated humans, which confused Frisk greatly. Maybe being raised by monsters had changed their opinions on people, but none of the other monsters in the castle (Save for perhaps Undyne) hated monsters. They seemed more scared. Upon seeing the newly-married heir, Chara's eyes narrowed and their mouth twisted into an angry grimace.

"You may have fooled everyone else here, but I know what you are," They sneered, spitting out the words harshly, "Just another no-good human wanting to ruin us and overthrow the kingdom. Another genocidal _maniac._ " And they slammed the door in the face of the page and the heir.

Frisk tried not to let it bother them. Chara had every right to be hurt. They grew up around monsters, and who knew how many people they'd lost due to humans or human influence? How many humans have hurt them or people they loved? Frisk smiled sadly and nodded once, deciding to give Chara some space. Somehow, they'd prove themself to the other teen. They would.

 

* * *

 

Inside the room, Chara flumped down on their bed, scratching their fingers into the red duvet in an agitated motion. Rage contorted their features as they suddenly sat up, moving to sit at their desk, polished shoes thudding against the hardwood floor that creaked in some places. Chara didn't like floors that creaked-- They liked to be quiet. They didn't like their presence to be known.

Humans like Frisk didn't belong in the Monster Kingdom, and they especially didn't belong in New Home. This was supposed to be a safe haven, and not a place for humans to come in with their guns and broken bottles to massacre everyone and take everything for themselves. Resentment clawed at Chara's heart, and they embraced it fully. The feeling at hatred seeped in their heart, through their veins, and to their head. They needed to get rid of this _problem_ before it escalated.

They picked up a quill and began to compose a thoughtfully worded letter in red, resin-based ink. Even if they couldn't fufill their desired task, someone else would. Hitmen, assassins, they riddled the world of Humans, and all they had to do was find some maniac who was hell-bent on regicide, who hated the Human/Monster integration movement. There would be several in organzied crime industries. Up-and-comers wanting to make a sick, twisted statement, or old one-eye veterans with a long-standing grudge. All Chara had to do was find _one_ in the thousands out there. And they would.

After composing the letter, Chara lit the candle at their desk, heating wax over it. They stuck the letter in a plain white envelope, and stamped their _personal_ seal on the envelope with the wax. While waiting for it to cool, they stood up, throwing open the doors of their closet with a flourish. Cloak... Cloak... Cloak... Cloak!! They picked their stark black cloak out of the wardrobe and flung it on their bed for later. They _would_ find someone to complete this job. First, they'd have to wait until nightfall, dismiss the guards that stood by their door for the night, sit through dinner with their brother and his new love, and steal away under the cover that their cloak brought to the Human Kingdom. The trip would take a long time, unless they took money for a carriage. It's not that their parents were sorely lacking, and this _was_ a very important mission. Chara debated taking money from their parents for a few moments, before deeming it necessary for the overall survival of their kingdom. The _monster_ kingdom.

It was decided.

Chara exited their room in dark-colored clothing, which wasn't uncommon of them. No one paid much mind to them dismissing the guards by their door that night-- Chara needed to be completely alone with their thoughts at least once a week, and one glare from them was more than enough to send the dog guards reeling backwards, whimpering all the while.

They suffered through dinner, resisting the urge to make any biting comments when they saw Asriel and that new human conversing freely. They'd said something that made Chara's brother laugh, cute giggle-snorts that caused him to squint his eyes with the force of them. Chara rolled their eyes and looked down, focusing on the simple stew that lay in front of them. Hm, egg drop. They didn't eat this very often, but they didn't eat very often, either. Once a day seemed to be their capacity for food, and it usually wasn't dinner.

As usual, dinner was a quiet and simple affair. There weren't usually any extravagant, five-course meals to be had (unless there were diplomatic guests) and it usually consisted of the King, The Queen, the Prince, and sometimes Chara. Now, it seemed, Frisk would be another permanent addition to the table. Sometimes, the Royal Scientists would join them, Alphys and a rather drippy, goopy monster named Gaster who was on his last leg of life. Undyne would come every once in a while, but more often than not, she ate in the barracks with the rest of the army. Grillby would come in, flames crackling, silently asking for compliments, which he graciously received. He'd usually bow and leave after, flames aflickering and glowing with pride, to cater to the barracks with drinks.

It was a moderately painful excursion, and they weren't forced to participate in conversation with anyone, though they did see Frisk glance at them every so often. They'd turn their face to meet Frisk's glance head on, scorning them into looking away. They didn't even seem to care when Chara did that three times. They continued their unabashed staring, with smiling and waving. Pathetic. As if Chara could be swayed so easily.

They were the first to leave the table. Chara stood abruptly, having barely touched their soup, and stole away to their room once more, to wait for the late night, when most everyone would be asleep, save for the guards. They adorned their shoulders with the sleek black cloak, clasping the front shut with the singular silver button, and threw open the soft curtains that lined their window to watch the sun set and the sky go from purple to indigo to a deep, rich blue that was almost black. Stars twinkled around the sky in swirls. The teen thought to take a moment to admire them, before cursing. Now was not the time.

Tentatively, they creaked open the door, shrouding their form in the cloak and taking that first nervous step out of their room, closing the wooden door with a soft thud.


	5. Karma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chara makes a mistake that doesn't have the desired effect.

Sneaking out was easier than Chara anticipated. With their cloak drawn around their body and a grim expression on their face, they'd managed to sneak by the occasional guard patrolling the castle. It was easy for the teen to blend in with the cobbled stone of the outer castle walls as they fled, with nary a torch to light their path. Once outside, gravel and grass and sand crunched under their feet, sounds sharp and crackling as they ran far away from their home, as fast as their legs could  carry them. Once outside the gates, they began walking along the graveled road.

They didn't see anything for quite some time. Unlike the humans, who had relatively simple technologies, the Monster Kingdom had mechanized carriages, drawn by no horse. They were dome-shaped and spacious, mostly used to transporter people. They weren't big enough for troops yet, but the Royal Scientists were working on it. Sooner or later, however, as Chara approached the nearest town, an automated carriage came into view. These carriages ferried people to where they wanted to go for little (or, in some towns, no) cost.

They got in the carriage, the warmth of the car contrasting from the chills of the outside air. Frowning, they reached into the folds of their cloak, pulling out a satchel filled with tools. They fiddled with the internal workings of the transportation system, changing the routes implemented into the machine so that it would ferry them to the Human Kingdom. It took a lot longer. Chara didn't have magic of their own.

About an hour later, the machine was prepped and ready for use.

"Take me to Auxony." They uttered the name of a human city in the kingdom, in one of the poorer provinces. There were sure to be some people there who could do this job for them. It would take a little bit of time to get there. Chara estimated that by the time they got back, it would early morning, and the sun would have risen over the castle already. Someone would have come in to check on them. They would have to think of an excuse by the time they got back.

Well, they had plenty of time to think about it, anyways. Maybe they would say they went for a walk in the garden. No. The recent human attack would have  increased coverage outside, looking for any sort of intruders. They would have to think of a better excuse than that. They could always choose to be defiant, as they usually were. _I don't have to explain anything to you. Leave me alone._ That usually worked.

The carriage rolled at a steady pace, faster than any pair of legs could have gone. They were headed directly into the Human Kingdom, and Chara was beginning to hear voices of humans. Voices that would make their stomach turn with disgust. Men calling to women in the streets, the light of their lanterns flicking to and fro as they preened at the sides of the streets. Chara was in one of the only people in carriages.

At the entrance to Auxony, the carriage slowed to a stop. Chara exited, their cloak fluttering in the wind. They felt a little woozy. Moving without using their legs was odd, but it was innovative. The humans had never seen anything like it, and as they were prone to do, they gave skeptical glances. Chara ignored them, walking along the streets as the carriage rolled aimlessly along the city, waiting for a person who needed a ride.

The streets were cluttered with litter. Bottles, broken glass. There were little houses, elongated in shape, usually one or two stories, that lined the streets, coupled with little shops. Butcher's, Grocer's, General store. Ah, a tavern. Just what Chara was looking for. They pushed open the door,their cloak sweeping across the floor. Everyone turned to look at them, but they weren't fazed. Aside from their red eyes, they looked just as human as the rest of 'em. Brunette hair, a bit on the tall side. Normal-looking clothes. As long as they kept their head down, no one could know.

They ordered a drink to be polite, and no one bothered to check their age.  They didn't drink it, instead swirling it around before getting up, going to play poker with some of the men in the corner of the bar.  They won a few hands, lost a few hands, and ended up forking over more gold than they made. They were just waiting, biding their time for a sighting that would make all their troubles disappear.

Eventually, it did come. As they were taking a break from their game, they'd engaged in light conversation with a man across the way from them. He was enigmatic, keeping his appearance hidden, his face masked, and his sentences relatively short. But Chara knew what he was. He was a man of the shadows. An assassin. A mercenary, looking for his next job.

After a moment of brief conversation, Chara stood. "Do you want to take this conversation outside?" They made their voice as innocent as possible, keeping their look humble, and looking up at him through deep, dark eyelashes. They received a nod in return, and the two went outside.

"Alright," The man of the shadows spoke as he led Chara behind the building, into a sort of alley between two buildings. "Who?" Chara guessed correctly. That one codeword told them everything they needed to know. They smiled; a vicious, lengthy smile.

"You're in for a treat. You know the monster kingdom?" The man said nothing, but motioned with his hand for her to continue.  "I need you to do something for me." Chara left a pregnant pause there, and they opened their red eyes wide, forcing the man to look into them. "I need you to kill the heir."

They could see that the man was taken aback. "...What?" Chara pressed on.

"I need you to kill the heir. They have darker skin, like caramel. Narrow eyes, tiny eyebrows. Pouted lips. Tomorrow, at dinner, I need you to kill the heir. They're human." Chara's lips curled up into a sneer. "They're dating a monster. You hate that, don't you?" Chara could see their shoulder's tense, and he nodded.

"Do what you must. I'll pay you some now, some later." And with that, Chara reached into their satchel, pulling out an undefinable amount of gold and pressing it into his hands. "Understand me? If you take my money and do nothing, you'll be sorry." Their eyes grew dark. "Very sorry.  Do you understand me?"

Another nod.

"I'll get you there and back so long as you do what I say."

* * *

 When Chara got back, they had to hide the man of the shadows somewhere, and erase their tracks. They reset the mechanic carriage, and hide their hired "help" in the forest behind the barracks, hoping he'll keep up his end of the bargain.

Of course, their absence worried their mother and father greatly. Toriel, as usual, was fretful. Chara was obstinate, saying that they just went for a walk along the side of the road, and that there was nothing to worry about. They didn't care that they missed breakfast, or anything, and that they were fine. Even Frisk, that _human,_ took part in the exaggeration of emotions. They were all so _annoying._

 "Would you like to continue your walk? I'd like to see more of the castle." And that kind smile was _plastered_ onto their face. It was humiliating. Patronizing. Everything Chara hated, rolled into one being. They shrugged off the pity of the other human, and continued on their way. They threw their balled-up cloak they'd stuffed in their bag back into their closet, before going to remove their tools from their satchel, and depositing their gold back into a drawer. Underneath the socks. 

They'd been saving up for a while. Chara would do odd jobs, around the castle or barracks whenever they could. They had no need to spend it, and their parents would feel bad if they mentioned buying improvements for the castle with what little money they had. They still did sometimes, anyways.

Chara spent most of their time holed up in their room, coming to terms with what they were going to do, what they paid someone else to attempt. They were going to take Frisk's life. It was for the good of the kingdom, of both kingdoms. It was for Asriel. It was...

They had to do it. There was no other way.

Then why did it feel so _wrong?_

Soon enough. Chara was called down to  dinner. They dressed up, nicer than they had before, and washed up their face and hands in a basin, letting the grime from the Human Kingdom wash from their body, before they snuck outside again, going back to the wooded area  behind the barracks.

The man was there. Chara breathed an audible sigh-- They didn't waste the entire night for nothing. They didn't spend the day pondering their morals for naught. The plan would go through.

Before they could chicken out, Chara nodded once. "Twenty minutes. Dining hall. There's a way to get up to the lights on the ceiling. Once you go into the kitchen, there's a dumbwaiter. It's not active anymore, since the first floor was... downsized. It goes into the attic now. Go up there, and there's a sudden dropoff. It hasn't been fully constructed, so it should be a clear shot from up there." They chewed on their lip anxiously. There really was no going back now.

"Underdeveloped." The man scoffed, and held aloft a crossbow. Chara could detect a hint of a smile in his voice as he spoke. "I won't miss."

The teenager snuck back inside, combing through their hair with their fingers in an attempt to fix it. They hadn't combed their hair in more than twenty-four hours, and it was really beginning to show. They could detect the slight maternal scorn coming from their mother at the table, but they kept their head down, eating the flavorful stew they were served.

In the human kingdom, they served stew like this at the _tavern._ They definitey had more money than the monster's kingdom. Even if they didn't have as much technology, they had _money._ They could probably mechanically formulate the same sort of things the monsters made with a combination of wiring and magic.

Chara listened to the conversations that took place, watched as Frisk seamlessly fit into the conversation as if they had always been there. As if they were more of family than Chara were. The red-eyed child had never been very good at social endeavours, but the other one seemed to just belong. It wasn't fair. _It wasn't fair._

Chara grit their teeth so hard that they couldn't fit soup anywhere. So they dropped their spoon in their bowl and stood up, slamming their hand on the table. 

Everyone turned to look at them, monster and human alike. They stared down Frisk, and the other child stared back, resolute and calm.

"You aren't special, you know. You aren't. You're just a human, and that's why you're here. You're just a compromise. _Yeah, we may have infinite power of you monsters, but here! Here's your consolation prize."_

"Chara--" Asriel tried to break in, standing up and holding his hands out to Chara, as if expecting them to hold onto him for security. 

"Shut up, Azzy, just  _shu_ _t up._ You treat them just like one of us. Like it's fair."

"Now wait just a minute." Undyne spoke up, her voice in a low growl, as she stood up too, her tall stature dwarfing the two children, who paid her no heed.

"You're a human too, Chara." Asriel's voice shook, but he stood firm, trying to diffuse his sibling's anger. They shook him off, their voice rising.

"I _hate_ humans." They turned to Frisk, anger burning in their stomach. "I _hate_ y--"

Frisk screamed, eyes wide and body rigid as a muffled shot rang out through the air.  Chara just stared with deliberately indifferent eyes. Nothing registered.

Frisk wasn't injured in the slightest. The arrow had whizzed over their head, the sudden noise causing them to start. Asriel didn't make a sound as the arrow sunk into his chest and pierced his heart. He slumped over the wooden table, his bowl of soup spilling as his arm knocked into it.

_It isn't fair._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mmmyes rushed pacing because i haven't updated in two months here you go


	6. And Now the Weather In Hell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything has gone so, so horribly wrong. And Chara literally cannot blame anyone else but themself this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> local pro-segregationist has inner monologue, cries a bit.

Time and space. Space and time. What did any of it mean? Time, that's just a thing that we make up to keep track of things. To keep track of our births, out mental landmarks, and our deaths.  Space, that's just what we see. We can never fully grasp how big everything is, how little our personal experiences matter in the grand scheme of the entire universe. We don't know what's beyond, and most of us don't  care to know. We don't care to experience anything other than the limited, daily experiences that we do. And sometimes, some of us wish we could be anywhere else.

Chara feet like they were floating. They knew that someone was screaming, and they knew that Undyne had left. They could hear their parents' frenzies voices, and feel the rustle of movement and cloth and suddenly someone had fallen from the ceiling and Undyne had jumped down after them, breaking their bones (and the weapon) into a million pieces and there was _red_ and it was _everywhere_ and then suddenly they weren't there anymore and someone was holding their hand. It was Alphys, but that fact was only barely registered. Asriel was shot.

Panic ebbed and flowed into their body in waves, leaving as soon as it came. They slipped their hand from out of Alphys' little claw and turned back to the scene. They couldn't see Asriel anymore. They didn't know how hurt he was, or where they took him to. Monsters should be able to survive something like that, right? Monsters are just essence. They don't have the same inner workings as humans, so something like that shouldn't have hurt him too much... right? This was nothing. Asriel would recover. After all, Undyne's probably undergone a lot worse than something like that in her battles. She would know what to do.  The worry slipped from their body again, only to come back as soon as Alphys dropped them off at their room.

They needed to be alone for a little while, anyways.

Sleep did not come easy, not that it ever did. The stars were bright, and Chara spent most of the night at their windowsill, looking out and upwards. They could identify certain constellations, but they didn't see the point in astrology. It seemed fairly useless to know, but... Asriel really liked the stars. He would make wishes on every single one that he could see, and he would say them out loud, to Chara. Chara would always tell him that wishes are supposed to be private and secret so that no one knew what you were hoping for. No one knew how to hurt you.

Right now, however, Chara made their wishes. They wished that they could turn back the clock, back a day, and stop themselves from going out that night. things like this only end in disaster, especially for Chara, They were mad. Mad at the incompetence of the now dead man they'd hired to take care of their little problem, mad at Frisk for making them take such risks in the first place. They wouldn't have had to resort to this if the Human Kingdom had known what was best and backed off, denied or turned down the deal. But no one knew what was best, except for a few low-lifes in the Human Kingdom and Chara. These two forces should be _separate_ from one another. Their paths should seldom intertwine, and never this much. It wasn't fair that no one else knew what Chara knew. Humans were dangerous and bad. Humans would hurt monsters just for the fun of it. Humans didn't see monsters as people. What else could Chara do but fight fire with fire?

The stars soon gave way to a beautiful dawn, oranges and pinks mixing with the disappearing inky black of the night sky in layers. Chara watched it for a bit, combing through their hair with their fingers and slipping into different clothes. Normally, tiredness would have seeped through their body after two nights of no sleeping, but the mental tiredness that seemed to penetrate their bones and flesh was enough to erase any notion of sleep. They exited their room early, prepared to head to the barracks to blow off a little steam, as if they had any steam left. Maybe to blow off their lack of steam?

On their way there, however, they were stopped by Undyne. The imposing woman didn't look as imposing anymore. She looked almost... worn, not filled with the vigor and energy she's practically known for. It caused Chara some alarm , but maybe the woman had spent all night up, taking care of her brother and helping him recover. Anyone would be tired after dealing with that whining brat for so long. A small smile tugged at Chara's mouth, and the thought made them a little happier. Everything from last night seemed so far away, now. Everything was going to be alright.

"Rough night?" Their words came out as a sort of quip, and they raised their eyebrows expectantly. Instead of a sort of forcefully upbeat reply, as Chara expected, Undyne turned away. When she spoke, it was obvious she was gritting her teeth in some valiant effort not to lose control of her emotions, one way or another. None of the ways would be good. "...Her Highness wants you in the dining hall in an hour." And without so much as a goodbye, Undyne turned away. Why would Chara's mother want them there so early? Of course, this was about Asriel. Probably some sort of update on his condition.

Chara hasn't seen Frisk since the entire incident, which is... probably good. Maybe they packed the human home and shipped them back to their castle, as they should. Maybe Frisk is just waiting at Asriel's bedside, for him to wake up or give some sign that he's still okay. Frankly, they didn't care what the other human was doing, as long as they were out of sight. Chara really  _couldn't_ handle looking at them today. Why did the damn man have to miss??

Now, it's not like Chara had any personal grudge against Frisk. The other human was known for being kind, apparently, and emotionally intuitive, all of that stuff. A model human.  A perfect human.  Everything Chara was not. It was far easier to try to eliminate them then talk about why this bothered them so much. if Frisk were some sort of bad seed, a human unworthy of the title of royalty, then Chara would have been alright with them. Everyone else would hate them, after all. They wouldn't  be a threat to the security of the Kingdom as a whole. They would be taken out, one way or another, and made to go home if they were too much trouble. It's the fact that they were a good person that made this so difficult. The borders would be more open and the mental "barrier" that closed off the two species would be gone. Monsters would be vulnerable to even more frequent attacks. Strategy was necessary to prevent this. Even-- no, especially since Frisk was a good person, their sacrifice was essential to slowing down this horrible tirade. It's one human life versus the life of several monsters. No contest. Another plan would have to be formulated.

Chara wasn't allowed entry into the barracks. No one wanted to be near a weapon after the events that had gone down the night prior, and no one especially trusted Chara with one right now. The kid could do a lot of damage in the state that everyone _expected_ them to be in after such horrible events. Grillby was still in there though, doing his fiery thing.  So the heir walked in the gardens for a bit, back to the barracks to the woodlands to see if there was any evidence of the merc hiding out back there. There were only footprints, which Chara discreetly erased by covering the tracks with dirt and praying for rain.

When they returned to the house, to the dining room, rain would have fit the mood very well. It was somber in there, and everything seemed slow. Everyone seemed to have made it to the table before Chara. Alphys, Undyne, Frisk,  and Chara's parents were there. Toriel sat at the head of the table. Sad as she looked, there was a sort of grim determination behind all of her actions. She was definitely a monarch, you could tell just by looking.

As Chara seated themselves, they began to feel unsettled. Something didn't feel right, but they didn't know what. Maybe it was the fact that Asriel wasn't seated among them, or maybe it was the way everyone seemed to be looking at them as if waiting for some sort of reaction or reply. Toriel stretched a hand over to Chara's, placing hers on top and looking at her child.

"How are you feeling?" Her voice was soft, the sort of softness that would usually comfort Chara. But they didn't have a reason to be comforted, did they? Chara realized they were deadpanning, and forced their face into a smile. It didn't look good.

"I'm fine, mom. Really. Is... Is Asriel okay? Is he awake?" They tried not to let that note of anxious hopefulness creep into their voice. Remain indifferent. No one should know your aspirations, what you wish for. It's a means of destruction. A way to get killed. However, with the way Toriel looked away, the way Frisk hunched up their shoulders and buried their face in their hands, and the way Alphys cleared her throat as if on cue, Chara had a feeling they were not going to like this discussion.

"W-Well, you see," Even Alphys sounded defeated, "When the s-souls of monsters are, exposed to a certain level o-of... hatred, they-- They-- Uhm--" She's obviously trying so hard to hold it together, her clawed hands shaking a bit as she gesticulates and talks. She drops her hands to her side and looks down.

Undyne, forever her saving grace, sighs and speaks up. "They explode. They... They just disappear. Like that. And when it happens, they-- They turn to dust." Her voice was a lot more steely, as if she'd been practicing being strong. Her hands turned into fists with nails, weapons of destruction.

Chara didn't want to believe it. They just stared for a second, first at Alphys and Undyne. The latter had grabbed Alphys' hand to quell the shaking that overtook the smaller woman's body. Their gaze turned to their parents, and a sudden rage overtook them. Everyone wore black.How could Chara have _overlooked_ this? Just because they wore dark colors all the time didn't mean everyone did. They were so stupid.

"You didn't let me say goodbye." Their voice is hollow, accusatory, and they won't stop staring at their parents. "You didn't--" Their throat seems blocked with some sort of something, bile or something, maybe, and they stood up. "So, what. He's dead?" From their peripherals, they saw Alphys wince, but no one said anything. No one moved.  Chara didn't know what to do. They wanted to change the topic, as if that would make this any less real, any less bizarre, any less _their fault._ They didn't know what to do with themselves. They wanted to scratch away their skin and emerge as someone who knew what the hell to _do_. Like a chrysalis.

They wanted to get _angry._

"This is your fault." They turned towards Frisk again, who seemed to shrink back with surprise. "This is what happens when humans get involved. It becomes a mess and people die. You _did_ this." Their voice raises to an earsplitting crescendo, and Frisk shakes their head back and forth, sadly.

"I didn't, I didn't, Chara. I don't want anyone to get hurt." They sounded _so_ convincing. Honestly, who the hell did they think they were fooling, anyways? Chara wasn't going to buy that. Again, their mother's hand covered theirs once more, and they jumped at the sudden contact, sort of sinking back down into themselves, seething. More than seething. They were seething _and_ hurt, which made it ten times worse.

Asgore and Toriel glanced at each other, as if unsure what to say. They expected Chara to know how monsters died. They didn't expect this conversation to be so long and drawn out. More pressing matters needed to be discussed. It was imperative that no time at all took place between the action of the assassination and the next step. Normally, a mourning period would be instilled for the spouse of the deceased, but now, in order to prevent unrest, little time could be spared.

"Chara." Asgore's voice was calm, controlled, collected. "In order to ensure continued... positive communications with the Human Kingdom, we have settled upon a betrothal." Chara nodded. They knew this. A strange feeling began to overtake them, and their emotions were being tossed around as if in a hurricane this past couple of days.

"That arrangement has been destroyed. But the treaty still stands." Chara nodded again, before actually beginning to take in what their father just told them. No. No amount of threats or ultimatums or anything could make them go ahead with this ridiculous task willingly. Or at all, even! No way.

Without another word, Chara stood up from their chair, yanking their hand away from their mother's. "I'll marry Frisk when Hell freezes over." No one could _make_ them marry a human if they didn't want to. They shoved their chair back into place forcefully and stalked off, blending in with the shadows as if they were born from them.

Asgore sighed heavily. The last few days have taken their toll on him. Nothing in this world had made him happier than his son, and he didn't know how to exist with that joy taken from him.  He would get by somehow. He stands, his imposing figure looking over the table.

There was a funeral to plan.

And a wedding.


	7. True Fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The funeral hurts, and Chara wants to bite back. They're forming a plan slowly, and it's all going to unravel soon.

The day of the funeral was, in a word, dark. The sky opened up in a vicious downpour the morning of, and Chara all but refused to go out. They screamed at whoever their parents sent in to coerce them to go, throwing pillows and shoes and God knows what else at whoever dared enter their door. It was like they were some sort of cornered beast, their red, wild eyes illuminated candlelight and not much else.  
  
Undyne was sent in to dress them in the formal mourning attire typical of the Monster Kingdom and instead was assaulted with a lit candle. As an aquatic-based being, this was not well received by the warrior. She barely refrained from threatening the raving child,  slamming the door behind her and going to Alphys, hoping the young scientist could treat the developing burns for her.  
  
The heir sat on their bed, glancing around, ready to strike at whoever walked through that door next. If they did not go to the funeral, there was no funeral. Asriel wouldn't be dead if they didn't go to that damned service. Nothing would be different. They could go to bed and wake up, and they wouldn't be wearing all black, and they wouldn't be engaged to-  
  
Frisk. Immediately, the red-eyed teen tensed, glaring daggers at the short frame that entered their sanctuary.  
  
"What do you want." They bitterly spat out the words. It very obviously wasn't a question and they weren't sure they were expecting a reply. Their fists clenched into the sheets, and their body began to shake subtly. Frisk, having pushed open the heavy wooden door, stood in the door frame. They looked smaller there, and Chara slowly relaxed, figuring they could chase them out easily if need be.  
Instead of replying, the human took a step into the room, flinching lightly as Chara leaned abruptly forwards, reaching into the folds of their cloak suddenly. Chara remained perfectly still. Slowly,  Frisk took another step, and then another, until they were just a few steps away from the other adolescent. Thunder boomed outside, and Frisk jumped, their mourning attire fluttering gently as they did. They didn't deserve to wear those clothes. They didn't know Asriel enough to even put them on. Chara felt sick to their stomach, and they stood up so that they were taller than the other.  
  
"Answer me. What do you want." The human didn't back down, but fidgeted with their hands lightly, as if they were unable or unsure of a way to answer. The silence left Chara uncomfortable, but they didn't falter, glaring down at them and even going so far as to give them a little shove.  
  
Why don't you just answer me, you freak? What do you want? Why won't you just leave us alone? Go back to your kingdom." Frisk just shook their head and sat down on the bed, looking u up at Chara. They pat the space beside them as if inviting the other to sit. Chara looked down, uncertainty lining their already angry features, before sitting next to them.  
  
There was silence. It was a silence that Frisk seemed to enjoy,  or at least didn't hate. They just say there, together, for some time, ad Chara found themselves slowly relaxing. They were no longer poised to strike, and they realized this all with a start. They didn't feel the need to tense up again, so they didn't.  
  
Frisk's face looked very peaceful as they look straight ahead, out the window and into the storm. Lightning flashed, illuminating their face in striking white light for just an instant. They looked melancholy, almost sad. Why would they be sad? They're  the one who did this. They forced Chara's hand, is all. As if in reply to the taller teen's thoughts, Frisk sighed, leaning forwards and resting their head in their hands. "I don't... want to go.  Either."  
  
Chara was taken aback. Their head turned sharply towards the other, and pulled their legs towards their torso, onto the bed. They were sort of curled up in this position, their angular body sticking out at awkward angles. "..Why not?" Frisk seemed to shy away from the question. They opened their mouth as if to speak, but nothing came out, and they looked down, taking a deep breath.  
  
"No one should die so young." Talk about a guilt-trip. It's almost as if they knew what Chara was trying to do, and wanted them to feel bad for it. Well, they wouldn't. Frisk would have deserved an arrow pierced into their heart., and they would have deserved an early grave for trying to ruin Chara's family. Humans were terrible and should stay on their side of the border, not in the royal castle. the castle which, by the way, was degenerating rapidly, because all the Kingdom's excess money was going towards tending the barracks, the army,  treating wounded soldiers, and funerals for those who had turned to dust in the line of battle. A battle against humans, who started it all. Frisk's life was a small price to pay.  
  
They were working themselves into a fury again, hands going back into fists. They looked dangerous, all angles and spikes, and Frisk must have felt it. Still, they stayed right there, even as Chara stood, whirling around to face them, all those sharp angles bent on destruction.  
  
"You didn't even know him." their voice was frigid, and they reached once more under the folds of their black cloak, drawing blade from it's concealed spot. Frisk, for their part, flinched but did not move. It's almost as if they knew Chara couldn't do it. That they didn't have the strength to. It's like they were testing their new fiance, to see just the lengths they would go to. And Chara didn't know what course of action would be more disappointing.  
  
"I know. You knew him... better." And Frisk seemed sad for a second as if reflecting on memories that could have happened. they would never get to know Asriel now, and a line between monsters and human that could have been repaired was further severed. They weren't satisfied with that.  
  
Chara considered sheathing their blade, but didn't, pointing it at the other. "I know I did. I loved him, he was- he is my brother. You could never have what we have."  Frisk nodded. They looked as if they were trying to force their face to be neutral, their mouth pressed into a line as they blinked rapidly.  
  
"Yes." They nodded again, and Chara's knuckles grew white due to their tight grip on the hilt of their dagger.  "Yes? that's all you have to say? Yes? No sorry? Nothing? You killed him and all you have to say is 'yes?' You freak!" Chara screamed at them, whirling away and embedding the blade into the mahogany wood of their desk. The knife went through the surface, wooden shrapnel flying this way and that. Frisk did not flinch.  
  
"Yes," The repeated, voice soft. "There is a funeral. Please come." Frisk stood, finally, and smoothed out their mourning clothes, going to the door. They walked to the door with graceful steps, moving as one would imagine a ghost does. A ghost, defeated in some long, years-old battle, weary-worn and weathered but not without it's poise. "We need you there." 

* * *

  
Chara doesn't know why they did it, but they did. They were in one of the motorized carriages, wedged between their parents, and dressed in the garb of a traditional Monster funeral.  
  
Funerals in the Monster Kingdom were bittersweet processions. Everyone would stand and retell one great thing they remembered about Asriel, a memory or a story, showing a positive quality that the new deceased represented. The ashes were placed in a special urn.  
  
The rain had let up when the carriage stopped, and Chara stepped out lightly, their dress shoes clattering on the cobblestone path leading to the funeral. Umbrellas raised towards Heaven with the ambition of salvation from wind and water, without much success. Chara held hands with their mother, and their father walked beside them, a sort of odd procession of sadness. Frisk walked aside Chara, the other side. It was their obligation as their newly betrothed, but they were wary. They were the only one who did not raise an umbrella, save for Undnye, who hoisted up Alphy's for her and relished in the rain. Frisk's hair was plastered to their forehead, and they blinked heavily against the wind. It felt nice to them. The procession slowly made it's way to the site of the funeral and stopped in increments.  
  
Undyne went first, stating that Asriel was the most honest person she ever had the pleasure of  
knowing. Alphys, dabbing her eyes, seconded that notion meekly before breaking down into a fit of tears that bubbled out of her like a fountain. The warrioress pulled her into a small hug, the umbrella dropping for just a moment, drenching the both of them.  
  
"Shh... I know. It's hard, but you have to be brave..." Her voice came out in a hoarse whisper, like nails clattering against a chainlink fence, but it seemed to calm down Alphys. There was silence, save for the sound of the scientist's sniffling, and it was a while before the next person spoke.  
  
Chara stepped forwards. "Asriel... was the essence of forgiveness. He would always be there to take care of me, even when I was sick or... not in the best place that I should have been." Their voice was low, and they remembered pulling the knife on Frisk, hiring someone that killed the one person they cared about. "He was made of forgiveness and even if did something wrong or terrible or... bad, he'd always be there, and-- Even if I-- Even if I wasn't-- Oh, God." They backed away, a hand over their mouth. Tears brimmed in their eyes, and they seemed to be choked up.  
  
They felt a calming hand on their shoulder and immediately relaxed. It was warm, and soft, and protected their shoulder from the elements. They calmed down until they turned around and saw that it was Frisk. They immediately flinched away, moving to stand next to their father instead.  
  
"Forgiveness..." The soft voice of their mother broke the silence, lighting up the inside of Chara's soul. "Forgiveness. Yes. My son," her voice broke briefly, "My son was forgiveness."  
  
General murmurs of assent could be heard from the procession.  
  
Chara wondered if Asriel had forgiven him in his last few breaths  They wondered if he knew what they'd done. He probably didn't. The poor boy probably didn't even know what had happened until he was dead.  
  
Chara didn't think they were crying until they began sniffling, confusing the tears with the downpour from above. They wiped their eyes listlessly, not really feeling anything but numb inside. They could see Frisk looking at them for a second, before looking away. Their mouth [pulled into the same tight, neutral expression as it was before. They held their composure for a few seconds, before breaking down into tears, collapsing in on themself and pressing their palms into their eyes.  
  
Immediately, Undyne's little page, the monster kid, ran to their side. They leaned into the human, who gave them a tight hug. "Thank you," They mumbled, barely audible against the wind and rain, so just the page could hear.  
  
A few more people gave their personal stories about Asriel, about how strong he was, how brave, how ingenious. On this day, much like any other, he was a soft-hearted hero, a golden boy turned to dust by human sin.  
  
Most everyone from the castle showed up Still, it was mainly a private funeral, closed to the general public. It would have been nice to have more people from the Kingdom there, but Toriel didn't feel she was ready for that. And one knew how the crowd would react, especially with Frisk's being there. No one knew about the recent new betrothal, and they planned to keep it that way for a few months, at least until the mourning period was over.  
  
Chara knew they wouldn't be able to do it. They could not go through the wedding.  That human killed their brother, was part of the race that killed so many monsters, seemingly for fun. They'd have to try again, but with a different tactic.  
  
They'd have to try getting close to Frisk. They have to see what made them tick, what made them laugh and what made them cry. What made them tick. And then they'd know exactly how to make the human... disappear on their own accord, or at least drive them out.  
  
 They seemed to be scared earlier when Chara pulled out the knife, but other than that, they always seemed to be genuinely content, or maybe just neutral. They didn't seem to understand that Chara was dangerous, or how to express true fear or discomfort.  
  
Chara would make them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates will continue to be slow as I sort out my physical health. I'm getting my cane and my wheelchair in a month/within the month ! Argh !


End file.
